Nestiness.

All kinds of crazy stuff is supposed to happen to you when you are 'with child' - ahh yes, the usual cravings and fat feet, but there are other surprises too... For example, how the "Nesting" Bug 'bites' affects us all differently. I banished the thought of Nestiness as a load of old wives' tales & hogwash - Pffft, I'm not feeling all cozy and nesty - bugger off with your Nestiness! - The Nesting bug won't bite ME! I suppose I should've been wearing Aerogard that day.

The most common bug of all, is the Cleaning Bug. The neat-freak cleaning bug is supposed to attack with such fervor, that your house is likely to be deemed unrecognisable by friends and relatives alike. Many of my friends swear they have turned the house upside down cleaning, scrubbing the benchtops til the Caesarstone is worn down by a centimetre or two, washing external windows 10 metres off the ground by climbing up a drain pipe and balancing with one foot on a balcony balustrade (at 35 weeks pregnant), polishing floor tiles with a toothbrush, vacuuming the shower, repainting the ceilings, cleaning bugs out of light fittings... in the exterior sensor lights... and of course, investing in a Dyson. Look, if you're going to be a pregnant clean freak - you should do it properly ok??!

I have had no such visit from the Clean Freak Fairies. In fact, last pregnancy I was rather taken aback (at first) to discover that quite the opposite fairy moved in with me... the Sloth Fairy. The Fairy who climbs up your shoulder - (after much heaving, puffing and complaining) and whispers in your ear, "It's ok, open the other packet of Tim Tams now and watch that drivel on TV, YES I can see the dishes in the sink too, pffft. Dishes, schmishes, you're pregnant lady, the baby WANTS YOU TO PUT YOUR FEET UP. (I love Sloth Fairy, we are so well suited.)

My Sloth Fairy, however, has a weakness. For Linen.

I suppose this kind of fits, Sloth Fairy encourages me to lie down, to rest, to sleeeeep, so really, she's just looking after my best interests. In retrospect, when I was pregnant last time, I really did get quite addicted to bed linen. And the maddening hunt for the ultimate 'Set'. Last time I drove 85 kilometres to pick up a matching pair of Esprit pillow cases, that have graced my bed, um... twice in nearly 3 years now? - (Orange Paisley. Glorious. Well Glorious-ly, um, bright. And TOTALLY worth it at the time, I just HAD to have them, it was the excitement of the hunt, the thrill of the chase, the mad dash down the Princes Hwy to snaffle them before some other mad pregnant woman did... - The junkie must have her hit.)

The other morning, at 23 weeks pregnant, I was minding my own business, wandering through a homewares store, and who should come clambering up my hoodie, puffing and panting but Ms Sloth herself. She thought she'd show her face again...
"Oh Hello Kathy, good to see you again... Shopping are we? Ooh just looky-looky at that queen sized quilt set, - It has a rather fabulous Orange Paisley on it, hmmm, I know someone who has some pillow cases that would look really quite fantastic with that quilt cover... on special you say? - Well it really is good to see you again Kathy... you're looking a little tired though, best stop in & get some Tim Tams on your way home"....

She's back.
The linen monkey is also back...on my back.

And the realisation dawns, perhaps I DO get "nesty" when I'm pregnant, and it manifests itself as a doona addiction. I'm fine with that.
(To be honest I've just had a shocking reminder that I actually bought a quilt cover set about four weeks ago, - it's gorgeous. Mulberry, textural, luxurious, deep warm colours for winter - mmm cozy) - and this purchase was made without a single thought or fleeting flashback to my previous pregnancy addiction... I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS JUST AN INNOCENT PURCHASE!... but apparently... not.)

And just for the record... I didn't purchase the oh-so-enticing Orange Paisley Quilt Cover the other day... but it HAS been a week now, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it... Who's to say what will happen when Ms Sloth visits next? - Damn her for having such good taste. I just wish she'd stop by and bloody do my dishes.